Frequency determining circuits



Jan. 3% W50 0. 1.. RICHARDS ETAL 3 A FREQUENCY DETERMINING CIRCUITS Filed July 50, 1947 E m? w k k )u g o c O c U Q n U 5 5 E a Q 5 M 5 INVENTOR Patented Jan. 31 1950 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE FREQUENCY DETERMINING CIRCUITS Application July 36, 1947, Serial No. 764,885 In Great Britain February 1, 1945 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Eatent expires February 1, 1965 4 Ciaims.

This invention relates to frequency determining circuits, and particularly to means for adjusting the value of inductance (L) and/or capacity (C) so that resonance occurs substan tially at a required frequency. For communication apparatus it is often necessary to be able to adjust the LC product accurately to a required value within a close tolerance, which accordin to requirements ma range from 1% to 0.001%.

Various methods have been proposed from time to time by which an electrical oscillation can be controlled so that its frequency differs from a required frequency only by a tolerable error. The present invention is based on the known circuit arrangement comprising a number of inductances and condensers together forming a resonant circuit having only one resonant frequency and which is tunable over a band of frequencies FtFo, this band of frequencies being divided into in major sub-bands of substantially equal width and each major sub-band being divided into n substantially equal minor increments AF, switching means being provided whereby the minor elements corresponding to any desired multiple of AF up to 11A]? can be selected 1.

while at the same time selecting any one of the major elements corresponding to the 111. major bands.

According to the present invention, in such a circuit arrangement comprising major sub-bands and incremental minor elements, the incremental minor elements are chosen to give exactly equal frequency increments AF when associated with one particular major element, whereas each. of the remaining major elements is so adjusted that at two frequencies lying within the frequency band corresponding to that major, the frequency increment is an exact multiple of AF. Preferably the switching means for the major elements are separate from the switching means for the minor elements.

Certain embodiments of the invention will now be outlined with reference to the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 shows a circuit arrangement in which the major elements are constituted by parallel LC combinations and the minor elements by condensers adapted to be connected in parallel with the major elements.

Fig. 2 shows a modified circuit arrangement in which the minor elements are constituted by inductances.

The circuit arrangement of Figure 1, operates as a variable LC combination so constituted that the resulting resonant frequency can be adjusted 2 by substantially constant increments AF, over a wide range of frequencies.

The system contains two switches, K1 and K2, where K1 denotes the minor interval switch which has a zero position (0) in which the efiective capacity connected across the terminals XY. is C and further n positions giving 1?. minor intervals, the condensers Cm Cnn being connectcd across the terminals XY in the successive positions of the switch K1. K2 is the major interval switch and has m positions and connects across the terminals XY, in each position one of the parallel coil and condenser combinations (LnnC'm) (Lm2C02) (LmmCOm) The impedance to the left of the terminals XY,

therefore appears as a parallel LC combination whose magnitude depends upon the position of the switches K1 and K2. 1

If it is desired to cover a certain frequency range F0 to Ft in substantially constant increments of frequency AF, and if exact increments are to be obtained for the major interval with the switch K2 in position 1, values are assigned to the circuit elements (Lm1C01) (L'mzCoz) etc., and to Cm, Cm etc. in accordance with the following reasoning:

. Fr=Fo+m.n.AF.

With K2 in position 1, and K1 imposition 0,Lm1. C01, and C are chosen so that 1 V Fg==21l"\ Lm (CO1+ C7710) Then the remaining minor condensers (Cm, Cnz, etc. may be assigned values such that on moving switch K1 from position 0 to 1 and from 1 to 2 and so on, the frequency increment is al- Consequently, as the switch K1 is moved, each step adds a frequency increment AF, and the maximum total increment is nAF, and the complete traverse of the minor interval switch K1 results in a frequency Fo+nAF. This may be considered one major interval.

fhe major interval switch K2 is now moved to position 2 and the minor interval switch back to position 0.

In the new position of switch K2, new values may be assigned to the new major elements Lm and C0, namely Inns and C02.

By appropriate selection of Lmz and C02 the frequency deviation from F in two positions of the minor interval switch K1 is made an exact multiple of AF. In the remaining positions of the switch K1, the frequency intervals as determined by the combinations Lmz (COM-C17 will not be exactly multiples of AF.

In the same manner, two points may be set up for exact frequency increment on each major interval position of K2.

Instead of obtaining exactlyequal frequency increments AF in the first major interval corresponding to the major position i of the switch 1 K2, the maximum resulting errors may be reducedby tracking to exact frequency at a suitably chosen intermediate major position, and in the remaining major positions to track to exact frequency at intermediate minor points on the ranges.

For the sake of simplicity the explanation of the incremental tuning system of Figure 1 has been given with the minor elements consisting of condensers and the majors parallel coil and con denser combinations.

It is not the intention to limit the invention i-nthis way, and Figure 2 shows an alternative arrangement for which similar reasoning may be developed and which results in a similar degree of frequency accuracy. In this arrangement the minor switch K1 selects incremental inductances Lm L 7'Ln, which are inserted by the major switch K2 in series with suitable inductances, (Lmh (1mm and the combinations tuned by parallel capacities (0,0)1 (C0)m.

-.;:Still further combinations may be suggested; for example the minor elements may be condensers arranged to be inserted by the major interval switch in series with each major condenser'tin turn, which in conjunction with a parallel inductance forms each major unit.

Again, the minor elements may be composed of inductances arranged to be placed in parallel with the major elements.

The choice of type of element may be der termined by other considerations of the design or manufacture of the apparatus.

Both the systems illustrated by Figures 1 and 2, are characterized by the condition that if there are m majors and n minors, then for one complete major, the incremental minor reactances are, adjusted to give, constant frequency incrementsjand further that each of the remaining (m-l) majors has two points where the total incremental frequency is an exact multiple of AF.

By appropriate choice of values for m and n in respect of the requirements for AF, F0 and Ft, it is possible to reduce the magnitude of the frequency error, defined as theamount by which the frequency at any setting of the switches K1 and K2 deviates from the correct multiple of AF, to a value consistent with the usual errors commonly encountered.

;- }For example, for

Ft=4; mc./s. and 'm=n=20, the error does not exceed 0.5 kc. at anysetting.

We claim:

l. A resonant circuit arrangement comprising a plurality of tuned oscillatory circuits each having a given resonant frequency, said resonant frequencies consecutively interspersed by a substantially equal band of frequencies, a pair of terminals, first switching means to connect the said plurality of tuned oscillatory circuits to the said terminals selectively, a plurality of impedance elements, second switching means to couple the said impedance elements selectively to the said tuned oscillatory circuits, said impedance elements having values at which the resonant frequency of one of the said tuned oscillatory circuits is varied in steps, said steps having a given frequency bandwidth, and the remaining tuned oscillatory circuits having values at which 2v A resonant circuit arrangement comprising a plurality of tuned oscillatory circuits each with a given resonant frequency and having inductive and capacitive elements in parallel. the resonant frequencies of the said tuned oscillatory circuits consecutively interspersed by a substantially equal band of frequencies, a pair of terminals, first switching means to connect the said plurality of tuned oscillatory circuits to the said terminals selectively, a plurality of capacitive impedance elements, second switching means to couple the said capacitive impedance elements selectively to the said tuned oscillatory circuits, said capacitive impedance elements havin values at which the resonant frequency of one of the said tuned oscillatory circuits is varied in steps, said steps having a given frequency bandwidth, and the remainin tuned oscillatory clrcuits having values at which each of said remaining tuned oscillatory circuits coupled to the said capacitive impedance elements have step variation of the same frequency bandwidth as the first said tuned oscillatory circuit at two of the step positions.

3. A resonant circuit arrangement comprising a plurality of tuned oscillatory circuits eachwith a given resonant frequency and having inductive and capacitive elements in parallel, the. resonant frequencies of the said tuned oscil-v latory circuits consecutively interspersed by a substantially equal band of frequencies, a pairof terminals, first switching means to connect the said plurality of tuned oscillatory circuits to the said terminals selectively, a plurality of inductive impedance elements, second switching:

bandwidth, and the remaining tuned oscillatory circuits having values at which each of said remaining tuned oscillatory circuits coupled to thesaid inductive impedance elements have step variation of the same frequency bandwidth as the first said tuned oscillatory circuit at two of the step positions.

4. A resonant circuit arrangement comprising a plurality of inductive elements, a plurality of' capacitive elements, first switching means to connect the said pluralities of inductive and capacitive elements to .form tuned oscillatory;-

cuits is varied in steps, said steps having a given 10 frequency bandwidth, and the remaining tuned oscillatory circuits having values at which each of said remaining tuned oscillatory circuits coupled to the said impedance element have step 6 variation of the same frequency bandwidth as the first said tuned oscillatory circuit at two of the step positions.

CLAUDE LAN GDON RICHARDS. EDWARD JAMES GLAISHER,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Banfielcl Sept. 24, 1940 Number 

